Automotive side curtain airbags (SCABs) are a standard safety feature for an increasing number of automobiles every year. Typically, after an airbag is manufactured, the airbag is rolled up, and then sealed in a sleeve that keeps the airbag properly oriented and positioned until a deployment event.
A variety of sleeve designs are used by major airbag manufacturers. An airbag sleeve is typically formed of plastic or fabric. Velcro, adhesives, or heat-welding are used to close the sleeve around an airbag. When an airbag is deployed, the sleeve tears in order to allow the airbag to inflate and expand.
Conventional airbags may also be rolled up and inserted into a fabric sock. Fabric tabs extend from the rolled bag at various points. Metal stamped parts are then folded over the fabric tabs. The metal stamped parts may then be bolted onto sheet metal, such as that of an automobile frame.
During airbag deployment, structures within the vehicle other than the airbag may eject into the vehicle cabin. For example, a covering panel may be ejected into the cabin as the airbag deploys. In such circumstances, the projectiles may cause injury to a driver or passenger.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,316,514, entitled “Trim Clip for Trim for Curtain Side Air Bag,” discloses a trim clip suitable for holding a curtain side air bag trim for covering and accommodating an air bag. U.S. Pat. No. 8,218,145 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,178,850, both entitled “Tethered Fastener Apparatus and Method,” disclose devices for fastening objects, such as a tethered fastener device for insertion into an engagement structure, such as a vehicle chassis, a hollow substrate, a wall, a plate, or any suitable surface.
Tethering clips are used to tether an components of within a vehicle together. Typically, a tethering clip is formed of metal and plastic. However, the use of metal and plastic in known tethering clips adds weight to both the tethering clips and to vehicles in which the tethering clips are secured. Also, the metal and plastic clips often rattle or produce other such noise during operation of a vehicle. Further, a metal tethering clip is not easy to remove from a structure, such as sheet metal. Instead, in order to remove the metal tethering clip, an individual typically uses multiple tools, which may damage the structure. Additionally, many known tethering clips are large, stiff, and prone to fracturing during airbag deployment.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved tethering clip that may be used to secure an airbag within a vehicle structure.